The group of 16 people trying to reach the top of the tallest free-standing mountain in the world included an unlikely trio — three San Diego County men in their 50s who have Parkinson’s disease, a brain disorder marked by tremors, an uneven gait and iffy coordination.

They all made it.

“It felt like we were on top of the world,” said Brad Arens.

“Incredible,” said Ken Schreiner.

They are two of the Parkinson’s trio. Along with Larry Krasner, they went up the mountain to raise money for research into a possible stem-cell cure for their disease. But they also did it to prove a point about limitations.

“We’re all capable of doing so much more than we think we are,” Arens said.

Kilimanjaro is in Tanzania and reaches to 19,340 feet. It’s not a technical climb — no ropes or special equipment — but it is a long one, about five days up.

On the final day, leaving in the dark under a full moon, they covered 5,000 feet. Guides and porters surrounded them, chanting “pole, pole” (Swahili for slowly, slowly). “It was almost spiritual,” said Sherrie Gould, a local nurse-practitioner who organized the trip.

After months of training, Larry Krasner, Ken Schreiner and Brad Arens made it to the top of Kilimanjaro. All three have Parkinson's.Andrew Szikla

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After months of training, Larry Krasner, Ken Schreiner and Brad Arens made it to the top of Kilimanjaro. All three have Parkinson's.

Oxygen is thin at that altitude, and they all had trouble breathing. Their hearts pounded. When they reached the summit on Sept. 14, seven hours of taking one labored step after another, the sun was just rising. The moon was still up. Clouds were below them.

They spent about 45 minutes on top, then turned around and climbed back to camp — where they packed up and climbed down several more hours to get to a safer altitude for resting. In all, they spent about 20 hours on their feet that last day.

“I’m glad I did it,” Schreiner said. “But I’m not sure I’d do it again.”

Having the whole party make it to the top is unusual. Arens said they met other groups on the mountain and in some more than 50 percent of the climbers had dropped out because of altitude sickness or other problems.

The local group, which included relatives of the Parkinson’s trio and other residents whose families have been affected by the disease, spent about six months training for the trip. They climbed almost every weekend and made several treks to the Eastern Sierra.

Arens said the training helped, especially when his Parkinson’s flared. “I noticed my balance wasn’t as good,” he said. “I staggered a bit. I fell once, backward, but landed on my daypack. No harm, no foul.”

The group is hoping to raise $300,000 so Jeanne Loring, head of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at the Scripps Research Institute, can do a pilot study using Parkinson’s patients’ own skin cells. About $215,000 has been donated so far. More information about the project is available online at